For the past three years Derrick Milton has watched his competition level increase.

Milton left Pineville (La.) High School following his junior year and enrolled in Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy for prep school in what should have been his senior season in order to qualify for college. The move paid off and now Milton is heading into his second year at Mississippi State.

"In high school it was just a lot of running around and playing ball," Milton said. "In prep school it sped up a little bit because I was playing against older guys and now in college everybody is fast and strong. You've just got to step your game up and do what you've got to do when you get the chance."

The six-foot running back spent his true freshman season redshirting for the Bulldogs while also recovering from offseason knee surgery. During his first year in Starkville, Milton bulked up from 188-pounds up to 204.

"(Redshirting) helped tremendously," Milton said. "I put on a little weight and got stronger, bigger, faster and smarter. I learned a lot from Vick (Ballard) and Perk (LaDarius Perkins). That was a great opportunity."

That first season was also spent getting acclimated to Dan Mullen's offensive playbook with the help of his teammates and running backs coach Greg Knox.